Beavers, Beaver Pictures, Beaver Facts - National Geographic Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man Please add a "relative" entry to your dictionary. Beavers are famously busy, and they turn their talents to reengineering the landscape as few other animals can. When sites are available, beavers burrow in the banks of rivers and lakes. But they also transform less suitable habitats by building dams. Felling and gnawing trees with their strong teeth and powerful jaws, they create massive log, branch, and mud structures to block streams and turn fields and forests into the large ponds that beavers love. Domelike beaver homes, called lodges, are also constructed of branches and mud. They are often strategically located in the middle of ponds and can only be reached by underwater entrances. These dwellings are home to extended families of monogamous parents, young kits, and the yearlings born the previous spring. Beavers are among the largest of rodents. They are herbivores and prefer to eat leaves, bark, twigs, roots, and aquatic plants.

These large rodents move with an ungainly waddle on land but are graceful in the water, where they use their large, webbed rear feet like swimming fins, and their paddle-shaped tails like rudders. These attributes allow beavers to swim at speeds of up to five miles (eight kilometers) an hour. They can remain underwater for 15 minutes without surfacing, and have a set of transparent eyelids that function much like goggles. Their fur is naturally oily and waterproof. There are two species of beavers, which are found in the forests of North America, Europe, and Asia. These animals are active all winter, swimming and foraging in their ponds even when a layer of ice covers the surface. Amazing Facts about the Beaver - OneKind OneKind Animal A-Z Beaver Beavers are social animals, living in large family groups of monogamous parents, young kits, and the yearlings from the previous spring. Find more animals like this herbivore Amazing Facts About the Beaver Beavers use swimming goggles too! They possess a set of transparent eyelids which enable them to see under water.

Beavers are second only to humans in their ability to manipulate their environment – the largest dam in existence is located in Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta, Canada. It stretches for 850m, and is visible from space. Beaver homes, called lodges, are dome-like constructions built from branches and mud. They are positioned in open water for protection from predators and have underwater entrance holes. Beavers don’t mind the cold, they can be seen active throughout winter and maintain use of their ponds even when they are covered with a layer of ice. Beavers are one of the largest rodents on earth. Their large rodent teeth never stop growing. The beavers constantly gnawing on wood keeps their teeth from growing too long. There are two species of beaver; the North American beaver and the European beaver. Although very similar in appearance and behaviour, the two species are not genetically compatible. Share The work of beavers makes them a keystone species in maintaining habitats that are relied on by many others. As well as wetland, beavers create standing dead wood (by drowning some trees) which is inhabited by insects, and in turn attracts bird life. Beavers are good house guests.

Their lodges typically contain two dens, one for drying off after entering the lodge under water, and a second, dryer den where the family will live and socialise. Beavers have been known to share their lodges with families of muskrats! A beaver will fell a particular tree for a particular reason; a larger mature tree will be felled to form the basis of a dam. A young, second growth tree will be felled for food. Beavers will also fell broad-leaved trees to encourage regrowth (food) more within their reach. Beavers use their broad, stiff tails like rudders to steer under water, and for balance while sitting on land. They also use their tails to slap the water as a warning of danger, or a warning to keep away. Life span: Up to 24 years Size: Head and body, 60 to 100 cm; tail, 20 to 30.5 cm Weight: European beavers average 18 kg, North American beavers average 20 kg Habitat: Beavers like to live where there is water. They will burrow into the banks of rivers and lakes in temperate climates.

Where there is no river or lake beavers will create their own. By felling trees and branched they will construct dams to form large ponds Scientific name: Castor genus What is a Beavers home called What is a Beavers home called This question has not been answered. Can you answer it? Please add your answer below ... What is a Beavers home called New answers There are no new answers. Comments A beavers home is called a lodge. Added 5/21/2009 12:12:47 PM Updated 18 days ago|12/30/2016 11:44:08 AM 2 Answers/Comments Blood is filtered by the two KIDNEYS. Added 18 days ago|12/30/2016 11:44:08 AM This answer has been confirmed as correct, not copied, and helpful. Weegy: What do you need to know about relativity? User: Who developed the theory of relativity Weegy: eiensteen (More) Question Albert Einstein developed the Theory of Relativity.

Added 7/14/2014 5:22:03 PM This answer has been confirmed as correct, not copied, and helpful. Confirmed by selymi [7/14/2014 11:56:46 PM] Weegy: Please wait User: How many instruments are there in a string quintet? (More) Question Updated 18 days ago|12/30/2016 11:46:20 AM 1 Answer/Comment There are FIVE instruments in a string quintet. Added 18 days ago|12/30/2016 11:46:20 AM This answer has been confirmed as correct, not copied, and helpful. Weegy: Beethoven is the classical composer who became deaf near the end of his life. (More) Question Updated 18 days ago|12/30/2016 11:47:09 AM 0 Answers/Comments There are 5 (five) instruments in a string quintet.

Added 5/17/2009 12:48:34 PM Weegy: -54 + 18 = -36 User: Simplify 3(x - 4) + 8(x + 2) User: What is the equation of the line that passes through ... 1/17/2017 1:07:03 PM| 5 Answers Weegy: r(r+3) = 1 User: 5x + 2y = 20, when x = 0.3? User: What is the value of a in the equation 3a + b = 54, when b ...

1/17/2017 9:50:12 AM| 3 Answers Weegy: 5|7 - 9| - 2; 5(2) - 2; 10 - 2 = 8 User: Evaluate |a + b - c|, given a = 5, b = -3, and c = -2 1/16/2017 5:07:37 PM| 2 Answers Weegy: 5 - 3x when x = -7 5 - 3(-7); = 5 - (-21); = 5 + 21; = 26 User: Evaluate 5|7 - 9| - 2 User: Evaluate |6| ... 1/16/2017 5:09:01 PM| 2 Answers About Beavers » Beavers: Wetlands & Wildlife (N. American: Castor canadensis) (Eurasian: Castor fiber) Beavers are more than intriguing animals with flat tails and lustrous fur.

American Indians called the beaver the "sacred center" of the land because this species creates such rich, watery habitat for other mammals, fish, turtles, frogs, birds and ducks. We now know that beaver damming provides essential natural services for people too. Beavers prefer to dam streams in shallow valleys, where the flooded area becomes productive wetlands.These cradles of life support biodiversity that rivals tropical rain forests. Almost half of endangered and threatened species in North America rely upon wetlands. Freshwater wetlands have been rated as the world's most valuable land-based ecosystem. Beavers reliably and economically maintain wetlands that sponge up floodwaters, alleviate droughts and floods (because their dams keep water on the land longer), lesson erosion, raise the water table and act as the "earth's kidneys" to purify water. The latter occurs because several feet of silt collect upstream of older beaver dams, and toxics, such as pesticides, are broken down by microbes in the wetlands that beavers create. Thus, water downstream of dams is cleaner and requires less treatment for human use. A Bit About Beavers Beavers' ability to change the landscape is second only to humans.

That is just one reason why we find the flat-tailed species fascinating. While some beaver behavior is instinctive, they also learn by imitation and from experience. Dr. Donald Griffin, the father of animal cognition, has said, "When we think of the kinds of animal behavior that suggest conscious thinking, the beaver comes naturally to mind." Wildlife rehabilitators find beavers to be gentle, reasoning beings who enjoy playing practical jokes. An Indian word for "beaver-like" also means "affable." Adults may weigh over 40 pounds, and beavers mate for life during their third year. Both parents care for the kits (usually one to four) that are born in the spring. The youngsters normally stay with their parents for two years, and the yearlings become babysitters for the new litter. After weaning, their favorite foods include water lily tubers, apples and the leaves and green bark (cambium) from aspen and other fast-growing trees. Tree cutting is part of nature's cycle, and beaver pruning stimulates willows, cottonwood and aspen to regrow bushier than ever the next spring.

After eating, beavers use the peeled sticks to build a teepee-like lodge on the shore and/or a dam. By damming streams, beavers often raise the water level to surround their lodge with a protective moat, and create the deep water needed for winter food storage in northern climes. While other wildlife endure wintertime cold and hunger, beavers stay warm in their lodges with an underwater food cache of branches nearby. A beaver colony, can consist of six or more, including parents, yearlings and kits, yet they peacefully coexist in a lodge with underwater access to the iced-up pond for four months or more in the North. Natural Population Control Beavers rarely overpopulate because they breed only once a year, defend large streamside territories from strangers, and the two-year-olds leave home each spring to find mates. They are limited to a small fraction of the landscape that is close to waterways. Kits have many predators including hawks, owls and otters. Bears, wolves, dogs and coyotes will also take older beavers that are especially vulnerable when seeking new territories. Accidents are another frequent cause of mortality, including falls into abandoned wells, and especially traffic accidents.

Trapping is the most common source of mortality. Beavers have fewer kits when occupancy reaches a certain level and food becomes scarce. In vast areas without trapping, beaver populations will peak, and then slowly drift down to a sustainable level. Removing beavers stimulates larger litters from survivors in the area. By the early 1900s, beavers were almost extirpated from North America, Europe and Asia due to trapping and the subsequent draining of lands for agriculture. Estimates of the current N. A. population are as low as five percent of those present prior to European settlement. When conflicts with humans arise, using modern methods can provide lasting solutions. Beavers (genus Castor) Beavers (genus Castor) Beaver packing willows to his lodge The beaver is utterly familiar, forty inches long, and over a foot upright, a beaver seems like a little person with a fondness for engineering. Beavers live throughout North America. They have brown fur and large, flat tails. They are among the most skilled builders in the animal kingdom. American beavers build structures called dams that stop flowing water. These dams help create wetlands. This provides habitat for mammals, fish, frogs, turtles, birds, and ducks.

Their handiwork can be seen throughout the Greater Yellowstone System. Native American legend across the country holds that the Great Spirit build the land, make the seas, and fill both well with animals and people: Long, long ago when the Great Waters surged in a blind and shoreless world, the gigantic beaver swam and dove and spoke with the Great Spirit. The two of them brought up all the mud they could carry, digging out the caves and canyons and shaping the mud into hills and dales, making mountains where cataracts plunged and sang. Some tribes believe that thunder was caused by the great beaver slapping his tail. Beavers are among the largest of rodents. They are herbivores and prefer to eat leaves, bark, twigs, roots, and aquatic plants. These large rodents move with an ungainly waddle on land but are graceful in the water, where they use their large, webbed rear feet like swimming fins, and their paddle-shaped tails like rudders. These attributes allow beavers to swim at speeds of up to five miles (eight kilometers) an hour. They can remain underwater for 15 minutes without surfacing and have a set of transparent eyelids that function much like goggles.

Their fur is naturally oily and waterproof. Beaver Dam Beavers are considered to be pests by some; scientists actually have proven that beavers are a "Keystone" species in North America. This means that beavers play a crucial role in biodiversity. Innumerable species rely either partly or entirely on beaver ponds, many of them threatened or endangered. Therefore, wherever we coexist with them, they provide the habitat necessary for supporting many other species, and protecting the web of life upon which we depend. A keystone species is a species that has a disproportionate effect on its environment relative to its biomass. Such species affect many other organisms in an ecosystem and helps to determine the types and numbers of various other species in a community. A keystone species is a species that plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community and whose impact on the community is greater than would be expected based on its relative abundance or total biomass. The beavers’ ability to change and reshape their environment to fit their needs is rare in nature. Humans and elephants are the only other animals that have such a large impact on their environment. Beavers devote much of time to building and maintaining their dams.

A beaver’s desire to build a dam is very instinctive; they seem to not be able to tolerate moving water, as it must be stopped. Beavers in captivity will build useless dams just so they can build. In the wild, scientists have observed beavers making repairs and additions to human-made dams. Beavers hate the sound of running water. It makes them think there could be a leak in their dam. If they hear running water, they will often work day and night to find the leak and repair it. A Jackson Hole rancher, Chancy Wheeldon, one day built a pond all, but the spillway, which he would complete the following day. The following day he awoke to find beavers had finished his dam that leaked the perfect amount to regulate stream flow. Busy beaver heading to the willow patch for another load of winter food Dams must be continuously maintained, and beavers do so every night, replacing shifted sticks and poles and patting on more mud. They build dams throughout their territory; some for water control; some, it seems, just for fun.

A family of beavers can build a 35-foot long dam in a week Aside from the very important biodiversity issue, most people are unaware that there are many other benefits to beaver ponds. Benefits of Beaver Ponds include, a decrease in damaging floods, recharge aquifers, removal of pollutants from surface and ground water, drought protection, decreased erosion, they produce food for fish and other animals which support biodiversity, including 43% of our endangered species, creating vital habitats while preserve open space. All this creates a greater opportunity for wildlife observation, hunting and trapping, canoeing/kayaking, fishing, photography, bird watching and quiet relaxation in nature. Beavers rarely overpopulate because they breed only once a year, defend large streamside territories from strangers, and the two-year-olds leave home each spring to find mates. They are limited to a small fraction of the landscape that is close to waterways. Kits have many predators including hawks, owls, and otters. Bears, wolves, and coyotes will also take older beavers that are especially vulnerable when seeking new territories. Beaver Lodge Dome like beaver homes, called lodges, are also constructed of branches and mud.

They are often strategically located in the middle of ponds and can only be reached by underwater entrances. These dwellings are home to extended families of monogamous parents, young kits, and the yearlings born the previous spring. They also make homes along river edges where they dig dens in the riverbank. Beavers mate for life, but if one mate dies, the other one will find another mate. Beavers mate when they are about three years old. Mating season runs from January through March in cold regions in late November in the south. Gestation lasts about three months and females have one litter of kits a year between April and June. Before birth, the female will make a soft bed in the lodge. The babies eyes are open when they are born, and they can swim within 24 hours of birth and will be exploring outside the lodge with their parents within a few days. The young beavers are weaned in about two weeks. Both the male and the female take care of the young beavers. They will stay with their parents for two years. Beavers can live to be 20 years old.

The beave has a very heavy coat of fur Beaver’s thick, soft pelts were the initial draw to the Rocky Mountains for trappers in the early 1800.s. Beaver furs were highly coveted in Europe for centuries, and the animals were hunted nearly to extinction on that continent by the mid-1500s. The North American beaver trade served as new, seemingly endless supply, and beaver hats were all the rage again in Europe by the mid-1600s, funding the continued development and settlement of the American colonies much to the charging of the beaver. By the mid 1800s, American beavers were on the brink of being wiped out, and their salvation and eventual recovery hinged on the whims of fashion: In the 1840s, silk top hats replaced beaver-felt hat as the must-have headwear. In the last 50 years, as environmental regulations improved water quality and habitat, beavers at last staged their comeback in the Rockies. Beavers have responded well, and now they're found pretty much everywhere around the Rockies ad elsewhere wherever there's water.

Custom Search Beaver Facts: Beaver Behavior, Biology | Beaver Solutions LLC Contact Us Beaver Facts: Beaver Behavior, Biology | Beaver Solutions LLC Beaver Biology: The beaver (Castor Canadensis) is North America's largest rodent. Adult beavers typically weigh 45 to 60 pounds, but have been known to grow to 100 pounds. beavers, beaver biology, beaver dams, Castor Canadensis, beaver lodges, beaver diet, beaver reproduction, beaver issues 16322 page-template-default,page,page-id-16322,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,,qode-child-theme-ver-1.0.0,qode-theme-ver-9.4.2,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-4.12,vc_responsive Beaver Behavior and Biology The beaver (Castor Canadensis) is North America’s largest rodent. Adult beavers typically weigh 45 to 60 pounds, but have been known to grow to 100 pounds. Native Americans greatly respected beavers, calling them “Little People”.

Beavers and humans are alike in their ability to greatly alter their habitats to suit their own needs. To obtain food and building materials, beavers are well known for their ability to topple large trees using nothing but their specially adapted incisor teeth and powerful lower jaw muscles. Beaver teeth never stop growing, so they do not become too worn despite years of chewing hardwoods. Their four front teeth (incisors) are self-sharpening due to hard orange enamel on the front of the tooth and a softer dentin on the back. Therefore as beavers chew wood the softer backside of the tooth wears faster, creating a chisel-like cutting surface. The beaver’s most distinctive feature is their large flat tail, which serves as a rudder when swimming, a prop when sitting or standing upright, and a storehouse of fat for the winter. Beavers will also slap their tail on the surface of the water as a danger warning to other beavers or sometimes in play. They do not use it to carry mud. Beavers are aquatic mammals with large webbed hind feet ideal for swimming, and hand-like front paws that allow them to manipulate objects with great dexterity.

They have excellent senses of hearing and smell, and rely on these senses more than their less developed sense of eyesight. When swimming underwater a protective transparent membrane will cover their eyes, and flaps close to keep water out of their nostrils and ears. In addition, behind their incisors they have inner lips that allow them to carry sticks in their mouths while swimming without getting a mouthful of water. Beaver fur consists of short fine hairs for warmth and longer hairs for waterproofing. They need to groom their fur daily to keep it waterproof, and frequently groom each other’s fur. They have castor glands on the under side of their abdomen from which they can excrete an oily substance (castor) that they use in the grooming process, and to mark their territory. Diet Beavers are pure vegetarians, subsisting solely on woody and aquatic vegetation. They will eat fresh leaves, twigs, stems, and bark. Beavers will chew on any species of tree, but preferred species include alder, aspen, birch, cottonwood, maple, poplar and willow. Aquatic foodstuffs include cattails, water lilies, sedges and rushes. Cattail and water lily tubers are favorites.

Using their nimble front paws, beavers will roll lily pads like cigars to eat them. Beavers do not eat fish or other animals. A beaver nibbling on a stick… In cold climates each Fall beavers will stockpile (cache) sticks underwater because they do not hibernate. They live on these sticks because once their pond freezes they will no longer have access to trees on the land. Beavers remain inside their lodge all winter except when they swim under the ice to their food cache for a stick to nibble on. Lodges Beavers build and maintain houses called lodges. There are two main types, the conical lodge and the bank lodge. The most recognized type is the conical shaped dwelling surrounded by water. It is made from sticks, mud and rocks. One of the primary reasons beavers build dams is to surround their lodge with water for protection from predators. The second type of lodge is the bank lodge. It is typically excavated into the bank of a large stream, river, or lake where the water is too deep or fast moving to build the classic conical lodge.

A classic conical shaped beaver lodge… Within each lodge beavers will hollow out a chamber where they sleep, eat, groom each other, and the baby kits are born and nursed each spring. Beddings of grasses, reeds and wood chips are changed regularly. In order to breathe fresh air beavers do not apply mud to the peak of the lodge, creating a ventilation shaft. Note: If you have an opportunity to visit a beaver lodge on a very cold winter day, look very closely and you may see the beaver’s breath escaping from this chimney-like peak, or even hear the murmurs of the beaver family inside! Each lodge contains at least two water-filled tunnels leading from the chamber to the pond so the beavers can enter and exit the lodge underwater without being spotted by predators. The walls of the conical lodge are very strong due to layers of mud and sticks, and are extremely insulated. Even with subzero outside temperatures it will not drop below freezing inside the lodge due to retained body heat from the family of beavers. Dams and Canals The dams, canals and lodges beaver builds have gained them the reputation as “Nature’s Engineers”.

No other animal with the exception of man so significantly alters it’s habitat to suit it’s own needs and desires. Native Americans revered the beaver and referred to them as “Little People” for this reason. Built by beavers from sticks and mud… On land, the beaver’s short legs and wide body made them slow and vulnerable to their enemies. However, unlike most of their historic predators, beavers are excellent swimmers. As a result beavers evolved to have a strong preference to remain in or very close to the safety of the water. The need for safety is the primary reason beavers build dams to create ponds. Beavers typically start building dams in low lying areas with shallow, moving water. They will utilize natural or manmade objects such as a rock outcropping or a manmade stone wall, a constriction in the streambed, a tree stump, etc. to anchor their dams. So while somewhat predictable, they can select from a wide variety of spots in which to build a dam. Once a pond is formed beavers do not have to travel far on land to gain access to new trees. The more area their dam floods, the more food they can safely access.

Sometimes beavers will even excavate canals over a hundred feet long in order to bring water closer to stands of their favorite trees. This allows them to swim up close to the trees and retreat to the water quickly if they sense danger. In addition, they use the canal to float edible branches back to the pond. Beavers predictably select sites to build their dams based primarily on topography and food supply. Preferred sites for damming will be in areas where the dam will flood a large flat area and there are plenty of desirable woody plants for food in the vicinity. Streams that are more than two feet deep or have strong currents are not generally dammed. Beavers often situate their dams where there are constrictions in the stream flow (natural or manmade). This is why beavers have a strong propensity to dam culverts. For relatively little work they can create a large dam and pond. Each beaver colony will usually establish one large pond which where they will build their lodge. In addition to this primary pond other smaller dams up and downstream are usually built to create smaller ponds. These smaller ponds permit safe travel for the beaver as it seeks out new food supplies. The average beaver colony will dam a half-mile length of a small stream.

Reproductive Beavers are monogamous and mate for life. They do not breed until they are two to three years old. In Massachusetts the female becomes pregnant during the winter and gives birth in May or June.. Beaver will have one litter of 1 – 6 kits per year. The availability of food appears to affect the size of the litter. Each established beaver “colony” consists of adult parents, and two years of offspring. Only the adult female breeds. The average number of beavers in an established family is typically six or seven beavers. We have seen as few as one and as many as thirteen. Once a beaver reaches the age of two they will usually leave the colony to find a mate and establish a colony of their own. This is the most very dangerous time in the life of a beaver. Not only can they be killed by predators or cars, other beavers will attack them if they enter their ponds. As beaver populations expand uninhabited watersheds can be difficult to locate since suitable beaver habitat only comprises 1 – 2% of the landscape. Beavers have been noted to travel ten or more miles searching for a place to live. Social Behavior Beavers have a highly organized social structure.

Young beaver appear to play and wrestle with their siblings. This helps to develop their motor skills. They will groom each other using their hands and teeth. Young beaver have innate abilities to build dams and lodges, but improve these skills watching their parents or older siblings. Beavers are typically social and peaceful animals, with a strong family structure. However, to protect their limited food supply, a beaver will not allow unrelated beavers to inhabit its pond. To mark their territories they surround their ponds with scent mounds. Scent mounds are piles of mud with the adult’s castor oil mixed in. They act as warnings to any beaver that may be passing through the area. Adult beavers will defend their territory by attacking any beaver outside its family who enters it. However, other than territorial disputes or self-defense, they appear to have a strong inhibition towards biting and are not known to attack humans. THE COMPANY FAQs » Beavers: Wetlands & Wildlife How do I care for an orphaned beaver kit? In some states it's illegal for anyone except a licensed wildlife rehabilitator to possess wild animals, and a rehabber is best able to care for a kit.

To find a rehabber, call the local animal shelter, state wildlife agency, sheriff's department or a veterinarian. Cher Button-Dobmeier (585-466-7811) is a wildlife rehabilitator who is an expert in the care of beaver kit orphans and injured adults. Any nursing orphan that has been separated from its mother for a few days is probably dehydrated, and should be first offered a rehydrating solution, such as Pedialyte, from an eyedropper or small nursing bottle. Gradually add formula (one part ready-made Esbilac to one part Half and Half) to this. Kits need to be kept warm, but also need to defecate in water. Some people use a bath tub with a nest box at one end, and water in a washtub at the other end. They also should be offered poplar or willow leaves and rodent blocks. Kits should be released in the spring of their second year to have the best chance of survival. How do beavers migrate and move to another wetland? By water or land, and if by land, this is where much mortality occurs from predators, such as coyotes, and accidents.

They have been known to travel tens of miles. The two-year-olds usually leave home to find their own territory, and create new ponds by daming streams. At the same time, they often dig a burrow in the side of a bank, lay sticks on top and then burrow upward to start a lodge. As they build up the dam to increase the water level, the lodge becomes surrounded by water. If the waterway is a river they may just build a bank burrow. Are beavers dangerous to people? Rarely. They belong to the order rodentia, but are more closely related to squirrels than to mice. Beavers are gentle social animals that have a strong inhibition against biting. They can become somewhat aggressive during the mating season, which usually occurs in the winter. Any animal, however, may bite when frightened or cornered, so avoid a hissing or blowing beaver. How can you tell the sex of a beaver? Both sexes have a cloaca similar to a chicken, i.e. only one opening for the digestive, urinary and reproductive systems. Since there are no external sex organs, observation of enlarged nipples can be used to identify a nursing female.

Because the penis has a bone, X-rays or palpatation are other common methods. Another way is to express the anal glands of a tame, or immobilized animal. If the secretion is dark (brownish), then it is a male. If light (clear or whitish), it is a female. Why isn't trapping or relocation, the best way to solve a beaver/human conflict? Removal tends to be only a short term solution, since if there's good beaver habitat others are apt to take their place and you will have the same conflict. It is usually better to solve the specific problem and live with the beavers, because they produce such valuable habitat that provides essential services for humans. Use of drowning sets is inhumane, because beavers can hold their breath for ten minutes or more and suffer intensely from hypoxia (lack of oxygen) before death without undergoing carbon dioxide narcosis. You may want to look at our Solving Problems Page. Is it a Beaver, Muskrat, Woodchuck or Nutria? Because beavers are semi-aquatic animals, they are usually found close to water except when seeking a new territory.

If you do find a beaver-like animal far from the water grazing on your lawn, check the tail to see if it is a ground hog (woodchuck). A woodchuck's tail is furry as seen in the photo above. A muskrat is also aquatic, but is quite small compared to a beaver.The muskrat tail is flat vertically and wiggles back and forth when swimming. The beaver tail of course is flat horozontally. Nutria have more of a rat-like tail that is round, not flat. Also, the face is different, but only to someone who is quite familiar with beavers. Beavers - Living with Wildlife | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Beavers For more information on the Living With Wildlife series, contact the WDFW Wildlife Program 360-902-2515 See also: Beaver Management Beavers (Castor canadensis) are the largest living rodents in North America, with adults averaging 40 pounds in weight and measuring more than 3 feet in length, including the tail. These semi-aquatic mammals have webbed hind feet, large incisor teeth, and a broad, flat tail.

Once among the most widely distributed mammals in North America, beavers were eliminated from much of their range in the late 1800s because of unregulated trapping. With a decline in the demand for beaver pelts, and with proper management, they became reestablished in much of their former range and are now common in many areas. Beavers are found where their preferred foods are in good supply—along rivers, and in small streams, lakes, marshes, and even roadside ditches containing adequate year-round water flow. In areas where deep, calm water is not available, beavers that have enough building material available will create ponds by building dams across creeks or other watercourses and impounding water. Beavers dams create habitat for many other animals and plants of Washington. In winter, deer and elk frequent beaver ponds to forage on shrubby plants that grow where beavers cut down trees for food or use to make their dams and lodges. Weasels, raccoons, and herons hunt frogs and other prey along the marshy edges of beaver ponds. Migratory waterbirds use beaver ponds as nesting areas and resting stops during migration.

Ducks and geese often nest on top of beaver lodges since they offer warmth and protection, especially when lodges are formed in the middle of a pond. The trees that die as a result of rising water levels attract insects, which in turn feed woodpeckers, whose holes later provide homes for other wildlife. Figure 1. The beaver’s incisors (front teeth) are harder on the front surface than on the back, and so the back wears faster. This creates a sharp edge that enables a beaver to easily cut through wood. (From Christensen and Larrison, Mammals of the Pacific Northwest: A Pictorial Introduction.) The beaver’s incisors (front teeth) are harder on the front surface than on the back, and so the back wears faster. This creates a sharp edge that enables a beaver to easily cut through wood. Like many rodents, beavers construct nesting dens for shelter and for protection against predators. These may be burrows in a riverbank or the more familiar lodges built in the water or on the shore (shown here).

However, the basic interior design varies little and consists of one or more underwater entrances, a feeding area, a dry nest den, and a source of fresh air. Facts about Washington’s Beavers Food and Feeding Habitats Beavers eat the leaves, inner bark, and twigs of aspen (a favorite food), alder, birch, cottonwood, willow, and other deciduous trees. Beavers also eat shrubs, ferns, aquatic plants, grasses, and crops, including corn and beans. Coniferous trees, such as fir and pine, are eaten occasionally; more often, beavers will girdle and kill these trees to encourage the growth of preferred food plants, or use them as dam building material. Beavers have large, sharp, upper and lower incisors, which are used to cut trees and peel bark while eating. The incisors grow their entire lives, but are worn down by grinding them together, tree cutting, and feeding. (Fig.1) Fermentation by special intestinal microorganisms allows beavers to digest 30 percent of the cellulose they ingest.

When the surface of the water is frozen, beavers eat bark and stems from a food “cache” (a safe storage place) they have anchored to the bottom of the waterway for winter use. They also swim out under the ice and retrieve the thick roots and stems of aquatic plants, such as pond lilies and cattails. Food caches are not found consistently where winters are comparatively mild, such as in the lowlands of western Washington. Click to enlarge Figure 2. Like many rodents, beavers construct nesting dens for shelter and for protection against predators. These may be burrows in a riverbank or the more familiar lodges built in the water or on the shore (shown here). However, the basic interior design varies little and consists of one or more underwater entrances, a feeding area, a dry nest den, and a source of fresh air. (Drawing by Jenifer Rees.) Beaver Dams Beavers flood areas for protection from predators, for access to their food supply, and to provide underwater entrances to their den. Flooded areas also wet the soil and promote the growth of favored foods (Fig. 3). Beavers living on water bodies that maintain a constant level (e.g., lakes, large rivers) do not build dams.

Dams are constructed and maintained with whatever materials are available—wood, stones, mud, and plant parts. They vary in size from a small accumulation of woody material to structures 10 feet high and over 165 feet wide. The feel and sound of flowing water stimulate beavers to build dams; however, they routinely let a leak in a dam flow freely, especially during times of high waters. Beavers keep their dams in good repair and will constantly enlarge the dams as the water level increases in their pond. A family of beavers may build and maintain one or several dams in their territory. In cold areas, dam maintenance is critical. Dams must be able to hold enough water so the pond won’t freeze to the bottom, which would eliminate access to the winter food supply. Lodges and Bank Dens Depending on the type of water body they occupy, beavers construct freestanding lodges or bank dens. Lodges and bank dens are used for safety, and a place to rest, stay warm, give birth, and raise young. Freestanding lodges are built in areas where the bank or water levels aren’t sufficient for a safe bank den.

Lodges consist of a mound of branches and logs, plastered with mud. One or more underwater openings lead to tunnels that meet at the center of the mound, where a single chamber is created. Bank dens are dug into the banks of streams and large ponds, and beavers may or may not build a lodge over them (Fig.2). Bank dens may also be located under stumps, logs, or docks. One family can have several lodges or bank dens, but will typically use only one den during winter. Reproduction and Family Structure A mated pair of beaver will live together for many years, sometimes for life. Beavers breed between January and March, and litters of one to eight kits (average four) are produced between April and June. The number of kits is related to the amount of food available (more food, more kits), and the female’s age. The female nurses the kits until they are weaned at 10 to 12 weeks of age. Most kits remain with the adults until they are almost two years old.

(Some leave at 11 months and a few females may stay until they are three years of age.) The kits then go off on their own in search of mates and suitable spots to begin colonies, which may be several miles away. Beavers live in colonies that may contain 2 to 12 individuals. The colony is usually made up of the adult breeding pair, the kits of the year, and kits of the previous year or years. Populations are limited by habitat availability, and the density will not exceed one colony per ½ mile under the best of conditions. Mortality and Longevity Because of their size, behavior, and habitat, beaver have few enemies. When foraging on shore or migrating overland, beavers are killed by bears, coyotes, bobcats, cougars, and dogs. Other identified causes of death are severe winter weather, winter starvation, disease, water fluctuations and floods, and falling trees. Humans remain the major predator of beavers. Historically, beavers have been one of the most commonly trapped furbearers. In Washington, from 1991 to 2000, an annual average of 5,289 beavers were trapped.

However, the average for the past three years has dropped to just over 1,000, due to RCW 77.15.194 . Beavers live 5 to 10 years in the wild. Viewing Beavers Beavers are nocturnal, but are occasionally active during the day. They do not hibernate, but are less active during winter, spending most of their time in the lodge or den. Probably no animal leaves more obvious signs of its presence than the beaver. Freshly cut trees and shrubs, and prominent dams and lodges are sure indicators of their activity. Look for signs of beavers during the day; look for the animals themselves before sunset or sunrise. Approach a beaver site slowly and downwind. (Beavers have poor eyesight but excellent hearing and sense of smell.) Look for a V-shaped series of ripples on the surface of calm water. A closer view with binoculars may reveal the nostrils, eyes, and ears of a beaver swimming. If you startle a beaver and it goes underwater, wait quietly in a secluded spot and chances are that it will reemerge within one or two minutes.

However, beavers are able to remain underwater for at least 15 minutes by slowing their heart rate. When seen in the water, beavers are often mistaken for muskrats. Try to get a look at the tail: Beavers have a broad, flat tail that doesn’t show behind them when swimming, whereas muskrats have a thin tail that is either held out of the water or sways back and forth on the water’s surface as the animal swims. Beavers stand their ground and should not be closely approached when cornered on land. They face the aggressor, rear up on their hind legs, and hiss or growl loudly before lunging forward to deliver extremely damaging bites. Harvest Sites Beavers cut down trees, shrubs, and other available vegetation for food and building materials. Large stumps are pointed, 1 to 2½ feet high, and sometimes the tree trunk is still attached. (Fig. 4) Tooth marks look like twin grooves, each groove measuring 1/8 inch or more. There will be a pile of wood chips on the ground around the base of recently felled trees. Limbs that are too large to be hauled off are typically stripped of bark over the course of several days.

The cut on small wood usually involves a 45-degree cut typical of rodents, but at a larger scale. Branches and twigs under ¾ inch in diameter are generally eaten entirely. Most harvesting is done within 165 feet of the water’s edge. In areas with few predators, but a lean food supply, toppled trees and other signs of feeding may be found twice that distance from the den site. Beavers transport woody material even farther through upstream and downstream sites. By late fall (earlier in cold winter areas of Washington), all family members concentrate on repairing and building up dams and the family lodge in preparation for winter. Harvesting is at its most intense level at this time of year. Figure 5. The paths beavers make where they enter and leave the water are called slides. (Photo by Russell Link.) Slides Slides are the paths beavers make where they enter and leave the water. They are 15 to 20 inches wide, at right angles to the shoreline, and have a slicked down or muddy appearance (Fig. 5). Channels Beavers construct channels or canal systems leading to their ponds, using them to float food—such as small, trimmed trees—from cutting sites.

Canals are also safe travel ways for swimming instead of walking. With receding water levels during summer, beaver activity shifts toward building and maintaining channels to access new food supplies. Channels often look man-made, have soft, muddy bottoms, and are filled with 15 to 25 inches of water. Food Storage Sites Beavers that live in cold climates store branches of food trees and shrubs for winter use by shoving them into the mud at the bottom of ponds or streams near the entrance to their bank den or lodge (Fig. 2). Droppings Beaver droppings are seldom found on land; those that are will commonly be found in the early morning at the water’s edge. Individual beaver droppings are usually cylindrical, up to 2½ inches long (sometimes shorter), and look as if they were formed of compressed sawdust. The diameter is an indication of the animal’s size, with 1 inch being average for adults. The color of fresh deposits is dark brown, with lighter-colored bits of undigested wood, all turning pale with age. Sounds In order to warn each other of danger, beavers slap their tails against the water, creating a loud splash.

Sounds also include whining (noises made by kits), a breathy greeting noise, and loud blowing when upset. A Beaver’s Tail The tail of a large beaver may be 15 inches long and 6 inches wide. It is covered with leathery scales and sparse, coarse hairs. The beaver’s tail has important uses both in the water and on land. In the water, the animal uses its flexible tail as a four-way rudder. When diving after being frightened, a beaver loudly slaps the water with its tail; the sound warns all beavers in the vicinity that danger is near, and perhaps serves to frighten potential predators. On land, the tail acts as a prop when a beaver is sitting or standing upright. It also serves as a counterbalance and support when a beaver is walking on its hind legs while carrying building materials with its teeth, front legs, and paws. Contrary to common belief, beavers do not use their tails to plaster mud on their dams. The tail stores fat, and because it is nearly hairless, releases body heat, helping the beaver to regulate its body temperature.

Preventing Conflicts Despite an appreciation for beavers and our best intentions to live with them, beavers can become a problem if their eating habits, and dam or den building activity, flood or damage property. Before beginning any beaver control action, assess the beaver problem fairly and objectively. Are beaver really causing damage or creating hardship requiring control action? The very presence of beavers is often seen as a problem when, in fact, the beavers are causing no harm. You should also determine the type of damage or problem the animals are causing, and then match the most appropriate and cost-effective controls to the situation. Once you have decided to control beaver damage, you have three control options: prevention, beaver translocation, or lethal control. To prevent conflicts or remedy existing problems: Choose and place plants carefully. Plant areas with Sitka spruce, elderberry, cascara, osoberry (Indian plum), ninebark, and twinberry, because they are not the beavers’ preferred food plants. Densely plant aspen, cottonwood, willow, spirea (hardhack), and red-twig dogwood because, once their roots are well established the upper parts of the plants often resprout after being eaten.

Planting preferred plants away from known beaver trails will limit losses. Note: Beavers do use plants as construction materials that they might not eat. Install barriers. The trunks of individual large trees can be loosely wrapped with 3 foot high, galvanized welded wire fencing, hardware cloth, or multiple layers of chicken wire (Fig. 6). Barriers can be painted to make them less noticeable. Welded wire fencing coated with green vinyl that helps the fencing blend in is also available. Lengths of corrugated plastic drainpipe can be attached around the trunks of narrow-diameter trees. Note: Dark-colored pipe can burn trunks in full sun; wider diameter pipe or pipe with holes in it may prevent overheating problems. Painting tree trunks with a sand and paint mix (2/3 cup masonry grade sand per quart of latex paint) has proven somewhat effective at protecting trees from beaver damage. The animals presumably don’t like the gritty texture. Note: Preventing access to food sources may force beavers to eat other nearby plants, including roses and other ornamentals. Figure 6. Various barriers can be used to protect plants from beaver damage.

All plants should be protected to at least 3 feet above ground—or the snow line—and inspected regularly. (Drawings by Jenifer Rees.) Surround groups of trees and shrubs with 3-foot high barriers made of galvanized, welded wire fencing or other sturdy material (Fig. 7). (A beaver’s weight will pull down chicken wire and similar lightweight material.) Stake the barriers to prevent beavers from pushing them to the side or entering from underneath. An electric fence with two hot wires suspended 8 and 12 inches off the ground is also effective at protecting groups of plants. Figure 7. Groups of plants can be protected from beaver damage by surrounding them with wire fencing. Protect large areas that border beaver habitat by installing 4-foot high field fencing. Keep the bottom of the fence flush to the ground, or include an 18-inch wide skirt on the beaver side of the fence, to prevent beavers from entering underneath. Groups of plants can be protected from beaver damage by surrounding them with wire fencing. Apply repellents. Commercial taste and odor repellents have provided mixed results, perhaps because they need to be reapplied often, particularly in moist weather.

Taste and odor repellents are most effective when applied at the first sign of damage, when other food is available, and during the dry season. Two repellents that have had some success are Big Game Repellent® and Plant-skydd®. (See “ Repellents ” in Deer for additional information.) Control the height of water behind a beaver dam to prevent flooding. It may be possible to make a small change in the depth of a beaver pond by installing a flow device at the intended depth, extending upstream and downstream of the dam. This keeps the rise in the water level at a minimum by using one or more plastic pipes to continually drain the pond area (see “Flexible Leveler” below. Click to enlarge). For leveling systems to work properly, you will have to have at least 3 feet of water in the pond area for the beaver to stay. The flow device can be constructed from plastic pipe measuring 4 to 12 inches in diameter, depending on the volume of water in the stream. The end extending upstream from the dam must be baffled to prevent beavers from damming or blocking the pipe. Beaver Deceiver Dam removal.

It is pointless to destroy a beaver dam because beavers (frequently many at one time) often begin rebuilding them immediately after they are removed. Furthermore, it may be illegal to remove a beaver dam without a permit (see “ Legal Status ”). Live Trapping and Moving Beavers Live trapping and moving beavers elsewhere (translocating) is often cost-prohibitive. Also, research has shown that beavers seldom survive relocation, and those that do often move great distances from the release site. However, in urban areas where lethal trapping may be illegal or unsafe, live trapping may be the only alternative. Hancock or Bailey suitcase-type traps are the most commonly used live trap. (Due to the weight and dangers associated with suitcase traps, it is recommended that only people experienced with these traps use them.) Some success has also come from using a 4 foot long cage trap set right at the water’s edge next to the beaver slide. Bait for live traps include freshly cut tree sprouts or branches of preferred foods, apples, and commercial scents and lures. If you are moving beavers to a different site, particularly a site where other beavers are not already present, there must be cooperation between adjacent landowners and local wildlife officials.

A cooperative evaluation of existing habitat quality and potential adverse beaver activity is also very important. (Expect beaver to cut and use a large number of trees for dam construction during the first year or two.) To help ensure the survival of beavers, the gradient of the watercourse at the release site should be less than 3 percent, and the site should have adequate food supply. Move beavers during their principal dam-building period, August to October. This will allow them time to gather a food cache, but limit their time to explore before having to settle in for the coming of winter. It may be helpful to provide beavers with a pickup-truck load of aspen or other trees to use as building material at or near the release site. This may encourage the beavers to stay nearby. See the handout Trapping Wildlife for additional information on trapping and moving beavers. Lethal Control Lethal control may become necessary when all efforts to dissuade problem beavers fail. Removing beavers is rarely a lasting solution since survivors have larger litters, and others will resettle good habitats. Lethal trapping has traditionally been the primary form of controlling beaver damage.

If you feel you need to have a beaver trapped, private individuals who work directly with property owners on a fee basis to resolve problem beaver situations can be hired. Call your local Fish and Wildlife office for contact information. See " Legal Status " and the handout Hiring a Wildlife Damage Control Company for additional information. Note: State wildlife offices do not provide animal removal services. Shooting beaver requires skilled marksmanship, but can be an effective control technique where it is safe. For safety considerations, shooting is generally limited to rural situations and is considered too hazardous in more populated areas, even if legal. Public Health Concerns Beavers can be infected with the bacterial disease tularemia. Tularemia is fatal to animals and is transmitted to them by ticks, biting flies, and via contaminated water. Animals with this disease may be sluggish, unable to run when disturbed, or appear tame. Tularemia may be transmitted to humans if they drink contaminated water, eat undercooked, infected meat, or allow an open cut to contact an infected animal. The most common source of tularemia for humans is to be cut or nicked by a knife when skinning or gutting an infected animal.

Humans can also get this disease via a tick bite, a biting fly, ingestion of contaminated water, or by inhaling dust from soil contaminated with the bacteria. A human who contracts tularemia commonly has a high temperature, headache, body ache, nausea, and sweats. A mild case may be confused with the flu and ignored. Humans can be easily treated with antibiotics. Beavers are among the few animals that regularly defecate in water, and their droppings (like those of humans and other mammals) may cause a flu-like infection when contaminated water is ingested. The technical name for this illness is “giardiasis.” It is more commonly referred to as “giardia”—derived from giardia, the single-cell protozoan that causes the disease. Another popular term, “beaver fever,” may be a misnomer. It has never been demonstrated that the type of giardia beavers carry causes giardiasis in humans. Giardia has been found in many animal species, including pets, wildlife, and livestock. Legal Status Because beavers’ legal status, trapping restrictions, and other information change, contact your local wildlife office for updates.

The beaver is classified as a furbearer ( WAC 232-12-007 ). A trapping license and open season are required to trap or shoot a beaver. The owner, the owner’s immediate family, an employee, or a tenant of property may shoot or trap a beaver on that property if a threat to crops exists ( RCW 77.36.030 ). In such cases, no special trapping permit is necessary for the use of live traps. However, a special trapping permit is required for the use of all traps other than live traps ( RCW 77.15.192 , 77.15.194 ; WAC 232-12-142 ). There are no exceptions for emergencies and no provisions for verbal approval. All special trapping permit applications must be in writing on a form available from the Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

It is unlawful to release a beaver anywhere within the state, other than on the property where it was legally trapped, without a permit to do so ( RCW 77.15.250 ; WAC 232-12-271 ). To remove or modify a beaver dam you must have a Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA)—a permit issued by WDFW for work that will use, obstruct, change, or divert the bed or flow of state waters ( RCW 77.55 ). A permit application can be obtained from your WDFW Regional Office or from the Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) web page. In emergency situations (when an immediate threat to property or life exists), verbal approval from WDFW can be obtained for work necessary to solve the problem. A 24-hour hotline (360) 902-2537 is available for emergency calls during nonworking hours. During normal hours, contact your nearest WDFW Regional Office . Additional Information Books Hygnstrom, Scott E., et al. Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage.

Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1994. (Available from: University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, 202 Natural Resources Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583-0819; phone: 402-472-2188; also see Internet Sites below.) Link, Russell. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle: University of Washington Press and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1999. Maser, Chris. Mammals of the Pacific Northwest: From the Coast to the High Cascades. Corvalis: Oregon State University Press, 1998. Muller-Schwarze, D., and Lixing Sun. The Beaver: Natural History of a Wetland Engineer. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press; and London: Comstock Publishing, 2003. Verts, B. J., and Leslie N. Carraway. Land Mammals of Oregon. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1998.

Internet Resources (General) How Beavers Build a Lodge - BBC Animals - YouTube How Beavers Build a Lodge - BBC Animals Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Dec 19, 2008 Sir David Attenborough narrates this fascinating animal video recording the way in which beavers build a lodge in just 20 days. Includes cute footage of baby beavers. Interesting wildlife video from BBC show 'Beavers: The Master Builder'. Category

Question: What is a beaver's home called?
Answer: Lodge